Discover Dressage Sponsors East Coast Youth Dressage Champion Award and East Coast Youth Dressage Champion Trainer Award
Dressage4Kids, the Region 1 Youth Dressage Team Challenge, and the Atlanta Youth Festival are pleased to announce a new partnership with Discover Dressage to present two special awards: the East Coast Youth Dressage Champion Award and the East Coast Youth Dressage Champion Trainer Award. These awards are in recognition of young equestrians and their trainers who exhibit dedication in the sport of dressage.
The Region 1 Youth Dressage Team Challenge, Lendon’s Youth Dressage Festival, and the Atlanta Youth Festival stand out as exceptional events that go beyond traditional equestrian competitions. These competitions provide unique platforms for youth riders not only to showcase their individual skills, but also to participate on teams, encouraging camaraderie, mutual support, and a sense of shared achievement. Educational workshops, mounted and unmounted learning opportunities, and social activities further enrich the experience, helping young equestrians build skills, confidence, and lifelong friendships.
Discover Dressage’s mission – to inspire and encourage American youth to discover dressage, to inspire lifelong learning and success, to promote healthy competition and advance the accessibility of the sport of dressage to all areas of the U.S. – aligns closely with the goals of these three youth-focused competitions.
To be eligible for the East Coast Youth Dressage Champion Award, riders must meet the following criteria:
- Obtain scores in the calendar year 2026
- Participate in the Region 1 Youth Dressage Team Challenge
- Participate in either Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival or the Atlanta Youth Festival
- If a rider participates in all three of the above competitions, the lowest score will be considered a drop score
- A rider may enter up to twice (with two different horses)
- If a rider competes in two different divisions, only scores from the higher division will be considered
- For scores to be considered, a rider must compete in the same level at all the shows (see above regarding competing in multiple divisions)
- The final average will be calculated by taking thedressage score from Lendon’s Youth Dressage Festival or the Atlanta Youth Festival and the average of the 2 dressage tests from the team competition at the Region 1 Youth Dressage Team Challenge and averaging those scores together. If a rider competes in all 3 competitions, see above regarding the drop score (the lowest score of the 3 will be considered a drop score)
- The following levels are not eligible for this award: Leadline, Intro A, Intro B, Western Dressage
In the event of a tie, the following tiebreakers will be used:
- First tiebreaker: written test score at either Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival or the Atlanta Youth Festival
- Second tiebreaker: Dressage Seat Equitation (DSE) score at either Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival or the Atlanta Youth Festival
East Coast Youth Dressage Champion Trainer Award:
The trainer of the East Coast Youth Dressage Champion will also be recognized. This accolade acknowledges the contribution of trainers to the development of the sport, with the head coach eligible in cases where there are two trainers. In situations where different trainers are brought to different shows, the award will be split equally between the two.
The East Coast Youth Dressage Champion Award and associated Trainer Award aim to inspire and motivate young equestrians, and to foster a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie within the youth dressage community.
Thanks to the generous support of Discover Dressage, both the winner of the East Coast Youth Dressage Champion Award and the winner of the East Coast Youth Dressage Champion Trainer Award will each receive a $1,000 grant.
